Jeanne and I sat down today (okay, we stood in the store where she works and chatted in between checking that the kids on spring break were just standing in a cluster, not actually shoplifting) to brainstorm on the Skill Builder Series.
Here is the plan, at least what we have so far:
We will create a project that the skill builder series… uh… builds to. It will be a sampler quilt, with each new skill introduced, then used in a block. If you want to do every skill builder with us and make the quilt, great! If you’d rather just work on the components and use them in other projects (or put them in the “yeah, I made it, now what do I do with it?” drawer), that’s fine, too. If you decide to make the Skill Builder Sampler Quilt, you might think about fabric choices a little. Fabric choices will be the subject of the second skill builder post. Why the second one, you ask? Because the first one must be about half square triangles. It is the pinwheel post. Come on, where else could I start?! Watch both blogs tomorrow, as Jeanne and I will both be posting entries. We will each demonstrate two different techniques for creating half square triangles. Try all four methods and see which you prefer. The four sets of HSTs will be assembled into a pinwheel block.
Most of the posts will be in a chronological order. We’ll talk about fabric choices, then cutting, then components of quilt blocks, each progressively more challenging. Along the way, we’ll mix in some other bits.
We’ll also ask for your input. If there’s something you’d particularly like to learn, let us know. We might have a couple of things we’re thinking about, and we’ll ask which you’d rather we start with. I hope this will be very much a collaboration, not between Jeanne and I, but among all of us.
We plan on posting a new Skill Builder every 1-2 weeks, depending on your input. Sometimes it will be on Jeanne’s blog, sometimes on mine, and sometimes we’ll both contribute to the same Skill Builder.
I’m creating a separate page with links to all of the Skill Builder posts on both sites. The actual posts will be in our blogs, but you’ll be able to click over to the Skill Builder page and see a chronological listing of all of the skills we cover.
We are by no means expert quilters. There are a number of topics that we’ll be looking for help with. If there’s anything that you’re especially proficient with, please comment or send one of us an email. We’d love to have a guest blogger every now and then.
So, are you ready? Let’s go!
*PieceMeal/Grey Cat Quilts, of course!
Piecemeal Quilts 
I’m so game for this! I’m super excited, and can’t wait! I’ve got some fabric in my stash, a few solid colors, that I will probably use for this. 🙂 As for ideas for the skill builders, I’ll definately contribute some ideas, but as my brain is totally exhausted from a very long day, I’ll have to think about it and get back with you! I’m very excited to try new things! 🙂
How lucky are we to have you and Jeanne in our blogging lives?? Pretty darned lucky, I’d say!
I started laughing when you said first will be pinwheels. Love it.
I think this is a great idea! I have been following the saga about skills, and I am looking forward to expanding mine. It will be fun!
I’m in! Every two weeks would work best for me so I don’t neglect other projects. Your timing is perfect, I am hoping to gift Christmas Cactus tomorrow so I’ll be ready!
Do we have a button to add to our sidebars????
Yes, there will be a button, possibly still this weekend. Jeanne is the computer design guru (I can manage something basic, but why do that when she has the skills?), and she’s working crazy hours this weekend, so it might be a little later in the week.
I’ll start picking fabrics today from my little stash. I’m really looking forward to this. And the half-square triangles for the first set of posts is perfect.
Though I am an experienced quilter and know how to make 1/2 square triangles, I can appreciate the effort you put into this tutorial. I am sure it will help beginners.
I am really, really looking forward to learning from this group. Thank-you for all the work that you are preparing to put forth. (excited!)
Sorry to be commenting long after the blog post was published but the recent discussion around blog-land brought me to visit your site for the first time today. Funnily enough I have been trying very hard to conquer the HST these past few days so this could not be more apt for me. Thank you very much for taking time to do these skill builder posts. I am now off to visit Grey Cat’s blog too.
I’m just started learning fully ready~